Best Friends
by Capra124
Summary: One friend must go after another when a top secret project is stolen....slight AU. mild violence and language implied.


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Best Friends

Tony just found out that his best friend from prison had escaped. He was devastated that his best friend would go something like this. Tony wanted to find out why Ritz would do such a thing as escape prison and take government secrets along as well. Well, Tony was going to get the chance to do so.

Tony is an ex-con turned bounty hunter. He's very strong and healthy because of his former job. Tony has gills which help him swim better underwater. He got the gills from a science experiment that went wrong. He's got brown hair and hazel colored eyes. Both Tony and Ritz are white Americans and very tough. Tony is about 25.

As Tony's getting ready to go he gets a call from the UEO (the people he works for) that he's going to be getting help on this case. Tony is outraged. 

"Why do I need help on this case? I know Ritz better than anyone!" Tony exclaimed.

"Because, what he took is something that we don't want the public to know about just yet." The head of the UEO replied.

"Okay. Then why send me? Why not someone else? Like the person that created the dang thing?" Tony said with some annoyance in his voice.

"Because as you stated before, you know Ritz better than we do and we were hoping that maybe you could talk him into giving it back in one piece." the head said.

"Fine. At least I'll be able to see Ritz before he goes back to the slammer," Tony said sounding a little disappointed.

"Okay then. Shouldn't you be going? The coordinates are already in the ship's computer, ready to go," the head answered.

Tony leaves to go get aboard the ship. Johnny's already there. (Johnny's the guy helping Tony.)

On the way to the Rainforest, Tony starts thinking about what might happen when he arrests Ritz for escaping prison and the stolen possessions. He's scared that Ritz will hate him forever and not talk to him ever again. This is a strong test for any friendship.

They finally got to the South American Rainforest. When they got out into the intense almost muggy heat, Tony couldn't see how anyone or anything could live in such a place, yet then he realized that everyone has their own type of survival skills. Tony and Johnny began their search by figuring out where they should go first.

"I think we should go this way." Johnny said pointing toward the west.

"No, I think we should go this way." Tony countered, pointing toward the north.

"Why?" Johnny asked with some curiosity in his voice.

"Because I just have this sense that Ritz went this way." Tony said anxiously.

"Fine. Okay. We'll go that way if you like." Johnny said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Tony and Johnny headed off toward the north.

"Boy, this is some very dense forest!" Tony said cutting some branches to make a path for Johnny.

"You can say that again! I never thought that the South American Rainforests would be so dense after all of the cutting that was done in the late 20th century." said Johnny with a hint of tiredness in his voice.

"Yeah, you're right. I never thought there would be after the UEO and the *president signed the Rainforest Act. Who'd a thought that it would grow so fast?" said Tony sounding tired.

"Hey, Tony?" Johnny said.

"Yeah?" Tony replied.

"What time is it? I'm getting really tired." Johnny asked.

"Oh. It's about 10:30pm. Tony said amazed at the time.

"What! We started out at around 10am this morning." Johnny said.

"I think we should stop and rest till the morning. Then we can start fresh." Tony said.

"I think that's a good idea. Let's stop here till morning." the other agreed.

The two men stopped for the night and set up camp. They had a late dinner, then went to bed.

Tony got up early the next morning to do some thinking about his friendship with Ritz. He doesn't want to lose his best friend or his job. He loves them both dearly. Johnny woke up and asked Tony, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about things." he said.

"Thinking about what?" Johnny queried.

"Thinking about my job and my friendship with Ritz." Tony replied.

"Why?", Johnny asked curiously.

"Because I love both of them very much and I don't want to lose either of them." Tony uttered with some annoyance in his voice.

"Oh. I didn't realize that you felt that way about your job. I heard he was your best friend." Johnny said apologetically.

"Well, now you know!" Tony uttered sounding very annoyed.

Tony and Johnny had breakfast and got going again.

"Boy, it's another hot one today isn't it?" Johnny commented.

"You can say that again!" Tony exclaimed. "Hey, did you see something move over there by the trees?"

"It's probably just some birds or something." Johnny said. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I just thought I saw something move over there, is all." Tony replied.

"Oh." Johnny said.

Tony knew what he saw, yet he didn't. He felt very weirder out. Like he knew what he was seeing yet he didn't. Tony got very cautious and scared but he didn't show it.

"Hey, Johnny! Did you see anything move over there? And don't tell me it's just some birds either." Tony said with some authority.

"No, I didn't see anything move over there." Johnny replied. "Why do you ask? What did you see?"

"I thought I saw something the shape of Ritz. You know, broad-shouldered, tall, and very muscular," Tony answered. "I think its Ritz. And don't tell me that I'm seeing things either, because I know what I saw."

"Okay. Okay, it just might be Ritz because what he took was a steel-like body with a microchip that turns it on and makes you look like something from the future. It's very weird yet very interesting," Johnny said.

"Oh, so that's what he took." Tony uttered. "Why does the UEO want to keep it such a big secret?"

"The UEO wants to keep it a secret because we haven't found uses for it yet or how to control it yet." Johnny replied.

"Oh. Then how come Ritz has one?" Tony asked.

"That we don't know yet. We are hoping that you could get the answer to that one" he replied.

"Me?! Why me?" Tony asked a little surprised.

"You, because of your close relationship with Ritz. That's why." Johnny stated.

"Oh." Tony said. "Hey Johnny, did you see something over there?"

"SHHH! Yes I did. Now be quiet!" Johnny hissed.

"Okay" Tony muttered.

All is quiet and nothing moves. Johnny and Tony rose up. Johnny walked back to Tony as quietly as possible.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by that. I was just trying to get a feel for my surroundings. I'm sorry if it meant anything else to you." Johnny said softly to Tony.

"I know, I was just taken aback by the way you said it, that's all." Tony replied.

"Oh. Well, shouldn't we get going again?" Johnny implied.

"Yeah, we should if we want to catch Ritz and return the whatchamacallit back to the UEO." Tony said.

"Um, Tony?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah?" Tony replied.

"The whatchamacallit is a 4D object. Okay?" Johnny articulated.

"Oh, okay." Tony uttered. "Hey Johnny?"

"Yeah?" Johnny replied.

"What time is it?" Tony asked.

"Uh, it's about 2:00 in the afternoon. Why do you ask?" Johnny inquired.

"Oh, no reason. It's just that I'm very hungry." Tony replied.

"Come to think of it, so am I." Johnny agreed.

"Why don't we stop and eat, then get going. I can't wait to get out of this Rainforest, it gives me the creeps." Tony said.

"Fine with me. And I agree with you, this Rainforest makes my skin crawl." Johnny said.

After they had eaten a late lunch they got going again.

"Johnny?" Tony asked.

"Yeah?"

"What will happen to Ritz after we find and arrest him? Will he go back to jail even longer? Tony asked worriedly.

"I don't know the answer to either one of those questions. He might go to trial and get extended jail time. That's just what I think. I don't know what you think or what anybody else thinks!" Johnny replied rather annoyed.

Just then Tony thought he saw something move up in the trees. He motioned to Johnny.

"Hey Johnny. I think Ritz is watching us from up above." Tony whispered quietly.

"I know." Johnny replied.

All of a sudden Ritz jumps down from the trees and asks to see Tony. "Hey Tony? I want to talk to you alone for a minute." Ritz said cautiously.

Tony answered, "Why alone? Any what do you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about what you're going to do to me when you catch me" Ritz replied.

"Where?" Tony answered.

"Over by that clump of bushes" he replied.

"Okay" Tony said.

Once alone, Tony asks "Hey Ritz, when I have to arrest you will you ever talk to me again? I'll understand if you don't."

"Oh Tony, you know that this wasn't your fault and that I'll still talk to you even after all of this." Ritz replied softly, which surprised Tony a lot. Ritz usually talked loud and hard.

"Do you know what they'll do to you once they have you in custody?" Tony asked.

"Yes, I think I do. Either I'll get longer jail time or I get a trial and they throw the book at me." Ritz said.

"Oh. Oh Ritz! You know I don't want to arrest you. You're my best friend. I've got to or else I lose my job and I love my job dearly." Tony sighed.

"I know." he replied.

"Oh, before I arrest you, why did you take that 4D object anyway? Tony asked.

"I took it because I wanted to show the boys at the UEO that one of the most precious secrets could be taken by a simple criminal like me." Ritz replied.

"Oh." Tony muttered.

"So aren't you going to arrest me for escaping prison and stealing a UEO secret?" Ritz inquired.

"Yeah, I guess so. Oh, by the way, why did you escape prison?" Tony asked.

"Because I couldn't take another second in that place. All the same things day in and day out, eating the same type of slop day after day. I just couldn't take it anymore." Ritz replied.

"Oh, I thought it was to see me." he said teasingly.

"Part of it was but mostly I hate the place!" Ritz replied amusingly.

"Ritz, do you know that I was teasing you?" he asked.

"Yeah, I was kidding too." he replied laughing hard.

"Why I oughta ... You knew the whole time, didn't you? Tony questioned.

"Yeah, I did. You got a problem with that?" Ritz asked again teasingly.

"No, I....

Ritz began laughing very hard.

"Why I oughta..." Tony said angrily.

Tony and Ritz walked back to the camp talking and laughing about their old memories together.

Tony, Johnny and Ritz all left for the ship. It took them about two days to get to it. Once there they headed back to UEO headquarters in the Pacific Ocean.

"You both did a fine job of things." the head said to Tony and Johnny.

"Thank you sir." Tony said for the both of them.

"Oh, sir?" Tony asked after Johnny had left.

"Yes, Tony?" the head replied.

"Could you do something about Ritz? He's a good man. All he wanted to do was show you how easy it is to get at very secret items. I think he did you a favor by showing you how easy it is to get at important UEO secrets." Tony said.

"I see," the head replied, "I'll see what I can do to get his new sentence lighter."

"Thank you, sir." Tony said.

He saluted the head, then left. Tony still felt as if he got the benefit that Ritz didn't get, but might get in the near future.


End file.
